Alan Z is an Atlanta based rapper, singer, and actor who can charm the pants off any woman with a wink and a few clever bars. Alan brings back the old school R&B sound of Ne-Yo and Usher and combines it with the spitfire rap of a seasoned professional. In honor of my good friend’s birthday, I wanted to look back on a few of my favorite songs by him:

Distance (2017)

First I want to show you the song that started it all. I met Alan when this song first came out during my time with Officially KMusic. I knew as soon as I heard it that it was going to end up on repeat and as soon as I finished watching the video I sent the link to all of my friends and told them they absolutely needed to check it out. I had a feeling that Alan was going to be something special so I quickly followed his social media and resolved to watch his releases in the future and see if I could pin down this sixth sense I had for him.

Earned It (2015)

Deciding to look back through his YouTube channel at his other videos, I stumbled across this gem. This song was one of my favorites on the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack so I couldn’t wait to hear his cover of it. Alan has such a beautiful voice for slow, gritty songs like this and I quickly found myself falling deeper and deeper in love with his sound. His clear falsetto only served to confirm my previous thought that Alan was someone I needed to watch.

Pay Me (2017)

Not long after, “Pay Me” was released and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would it be something with a softer feel to it or something completely different? Boy was I in for a surprise when I watched the video! Alan pulls no punches with this one and it made for a beautiful contrast with “Distance.” The beat is harsher and the aesthetic angrier but it really works and it became one of my favorite songs to listen to when I was feeling angry. It’s a great song for venting aggression!

Touch and Go (2017)

Alan dropped a hint of a debut EP with the release of his video “Touch and Go.” This song would later end up being one of my favorites on the album! He goes back to his smooth R&B vibe for it and it makes for an ultra catchy melody. The video is well made and flows with the song very nicely. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve listened to this in the year since Alan blessed us with it.

Make Her Say ft. KIEN (2018)

“Make Her Say” was the song that introduced me to KIEN, a Canada based rapper and singer who also gave me ‘must watch’ vibes. Alan and KIEN work together very well and their voices complement each other nicely. The only complaint I have is that I’d love to see a music video released for it >.> Until then, take a listen to “Make Her Say” on SoundCloud here!

Alan has so many fantastic songs; if I tried to talk about all of them this would turn into a novel. I’m so proud of everything that Alan has accomplished and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him. Happy birthday Alan! I hope that you have the best day possible filled with all the love and laughter you could ask for. I wish you all the success and happiness possible in the future and I look forward to seeing more releases from you!